by Wendy EN Thomas from Lessons Learned from the Flock
“Mom, I think one of the chickens was killed,” said Addy when I had asked her to let the chickens out of the coop.
It certainly was a possibility. We let our chickens free range which means we trust them to go back into the coop at night. Often we don’t lock the door on them until it’s dark. Early on, we had a young bird not make it to the coop in time, she was locked out and we found her remains the next day. (I still miss that little ball of fluff.)
Since then we’ve tried to be careful, but still it was entirely possible.
I went out to the coop to take a look and yes, it certainly did look like a chicken massacre had occurred. There were white feathers everywhere, and I mean *everywhere*! We don’t have many birds with pure white feathers and so I started looking around trying to figure out who was missing.
There was Jerry, Ruud, and Buttercup. They were all there. What I did notice however was that when Jerry, our Light Brahma ran by me a few feathers flew out from her bottom.
We don’t have a massacre, we have an early molt.
It’s been an odd (but thoroughly enjoyable) summer this year in New Hampshire. The temps have been moderate and here we are, in the first weeks of August having to use blankets at night and sweaters in the mornings.
Unofficial reports have been coming in from across the nation. “We’re seeing this on the West Coast.” “Got it up North in New Hampshire” and “Same from the backwoods in southern Georgia.”
Old time farmers will tell you that an early molt is a harbinger of a difficult winter to come. We’ve already had some very tough NH winters for the past few years (we regularly saw zero and below on our thermometers.) If we’re heading for a winter that’s more difficult than those, I think we all need to immediately think about dusting off our polar fleece, winter coats, and making sure our casserole and crockpots are all in working order.
As an adjunct to this post, when I went out this morning to take a photo of the feathers, I found that almost every single one had been removed. I would have liked to think that my kids (on their own) decided to spontaneously clean up our yard, but I think a more realistic explanation is that our resident wildlife population is getting ready for a harsh winter by making sure everyone in the nest has a down insulated comforter.
Hmm, maybe we are in for a wild ride this winter, after all.
How about you? Anyone else seeing early molts in their flock?
30 Comments
Our 4 golden comets, all about 17 weeks old, just started last week. Feathers are everywhere and the floor of the co-op looks like a pillow fight gone wrong. Our N.J. summer has been really cool.(I loved it) Poor little Iris looks like she barely escaped a soup pot. Ironically today I found 4 eggs. II have been finding 3 or even once just 2 for the last3 weeks. This their first moult…mine too. It ought to be interesting
I supplement with higher protein feed during molt. Some companies make special feed for this. I use King Feed’s Fancy Feathers SUPPLEMENT (not intended as primary feed, it is 35% protein and uses fish meal as protein source). I have to put it in a separate bowl, if I mix it with their regular feed, they toss the feed out of the feeder so they can get to the ‘good stuff’. I find an animal source of protein really helps them grow back their feathers fast. You could also use turkey feed or game bird feed during molt. Some people supplement with dry cat food, that works too, but should not be their primary source of food.
We had our summer in June here in Maryland I guess. The summer has been beautifully cool after a harsh winter last year. Things here look like an early fall and my EEs are beginning to molt now with the Welsummers losing more feathers than usual.
My hens are molting too!
My hens are molting too!
My roosters seem to have had bare tails all summer long. Our chickens have been molting all summer. I’m betting on a harsh winter too just by the way my fruit trees and my black walnut are this year. My driveway has a lot of black walnut leaves on it and that usually doesn’t happen until Sept. The nuts are rather small this year and and dropping early. I live in SW Va. I have one peach tree that I’m just starting to get ripe peaches from. The other 3 were ripe the beginning of July.
I to have most of my flock molting with all colors of feathers in the coop & in the yard. Have never had so many of my girls molt at the same time. Thanks for the information of why. They look so bare with so many feathers gone. It has been pretty hot this year here in Northern Utah & we are now having lots of thunder storms & cooler temperatures. I am not a fan of winter even tho I have always lived in Utah.
Here in PA my chickens are also molting. I believe it is due to the fact that it is August and we are having day time temps of 70’s and night time temps of 50’s and 60’s. It is very weird.
I am new to being a Chicken Wrangler here in Lakehills, Texas and couldn’t tell Y’all if I had foghorns or leghorns , shoot I got 20 of em, but I was wondering why I was seeing so many feathers the past few weeks , Thanks for the heads up!!! Maybe that’s why we ain’t seen any eggs as of yet , got em back on Easter was hoping to be neck deep in eggs by now!
I am new to being a Chicken Wrangler here in Lakehills, Texas and couldn’t tell Y’all if I had foghorns or leghorns , shoot I got 20 of em, but I was wondering why I was seeing so many feathers the past few weeks , Thanks for the heads up!!! Maybe that’s why we ain’t seen any eggs as of yet , got em back on Easter was hoping to be neck deep in eggs by now!
Oh yes! Here in northwestern PA we started with one hen beginning to molt at the end of July. Most of the others have now followed suit. I was hoping for a long Indian Summer and a milder winter since our summer was so chilly and wet, but I guess not!
My ducks are molting like crazy…I thought as you did at first that once must have been killed but nope…they are all there..
One of mine is just 4 months old and he is starting to molt. I thought it was a little early for that.
i’m in nc. Is it time or is it just what everyone is saying it’s going to be a harsh winter?
We are in central Alabama and our Orpingtons started molting last week, but not the Ameraucanas. They are sending us mixed signals :/
Funny that you would publish this today. I live in centeral Ohio and molt hit our girls yesterday!
Yup. Started last week here. Last year we had a long, snowy, cold winter and they’d started in September. This year, August. Oh, I shudder to think.
Melody
in Massachusetts
Our girls started a few weeks ago also; we are in North/Central California. I hope this means we will get some rain this winter.
Same here in Campbell, Missouri , lots of molting, and our dog did not lose her pass winter coat until mid July, weird.
We are in Texas and our hens started molting 2 weeks ago.
I’m in South Texas and my roo and two of my hens are molting.
Our Amber Stars started molting early July and our Barnevelder soon thereafter. Even our new chicks, Ameracaunas and Barred Rocks started molting about 3 weeks ago when they were only about 7 weeks old. We are in Northern VIrginia and it has been a very enjoyable summer. Please don’t scare me with a not so mild winter.
I was just going to put some eggs into the incubator for a restock after a raccoon attack but if my chickens start molting should I take eggs for hatching? Are there “Right” times to pull eggs for incubating?
There really isn’t a right or wrong time, except during worming and sickness. The moult has no real effect (except maybe shell thickness being reduced) on the eggs.
Here in Kansas my flock of 19 White Pearl leghorns started a few weeks ago. I can relate to your “chicken massacre” scenario as that is what is has been looking like the past few weeks. I was counting chickens daily due to all the feathers!
Here in WV we have started moling in past few weeks as well.
I am in Hattieville, Arkansas. Our chickens started molting a couple of weeks ago. I did not know why. We have a very mild summer so far. Glad to know why now!
Same here. We are in Raleigh, NC and my girls started a couple of weeks ago also. Scared the daylights outa me when I went out and saw tons of feathers. Minka is the worst so far. LittleBit is losing quite a lot too!
Guess I need to start getting all my supplies for the harsh winter coming.
We are in Centerton, AR and I am starting to see my adult hens moult. Summer temps have been mild up until this coming week. Not looking forward to an early, cold, winter.